Distributor drive for blast-furnace stacks



A. G. MCKEE DISTRIBUTOR DRIVE FOR BLAST FURNACE sTACKs Dec. 1, 1925 l Filed Oct. 9. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 'r Q9 I ATTORNEYJahy NVENTOR. BY Jrizar G Nfvee Dec. 1 1925. 1,563,424

A. G. MCKEE DISTRIBUTOR DRIVE FOR BLAST FURNACE STACKS Filed oct, 9. 1924 2 sheetssheet z A TTORNEY Patented Dec. 1, 1925.

i .UNITED STATE-s PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR e. MCKEE, or CLEVELAND, omo, Assistme 'ro ARTHUR s. Manen e ooivr- PANY, or cLEvELANnoHIo, A coRronATIoN or DELAWARE.

Application inea October 9, 1924'. serial No. 7452523.

Tb all @717mm t muy 'co/acera y Be it known that I, ARTI-.tun G. Moline, a citizen of the' United States, and a resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and Stat-e 6 0f Ohio, have invented a ne'ivand useful Improvement in Distribi'itor Drives for Blast- Ftirna'ce Stacks, of Which the following is a' specification', the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best inode in which I have contemplated applying' that principle so as to distinguish it from other inventions.-

The approved modern practice in charging" blast furnaces involves the use of tivo superposed hopper's at the top of the furnace stack, such hoppers being' controlled by corresponding airia'lly aligned bells. In the most modern equipment, moreover, the upper hopper with its corresponding bell closure is rotatably supported on the lovver and larger hopper in order to facilitate the uniform distribution of the various materials which are' initially received in such upper hopper, all as fully set forth in my prior U. 25 S. Patents No. 864,795, dated September 3*, 1907, and No. 890,569, dated June 9, 1908.

The present improvements have to do With the mounting of such upper hopper or distributor and to the means provided for thus rotating same. The principal object of the invention is to provide a motor drive that may be n'ioun'ted on the immediate support for such rotatable hopper or distributor itself, thus doing away With the necessity for any form of eXtraneous drive. In this ivay, all mechanism is taken on' the platform of thefurnace stack, as is highly desirable, and the operation of the furnace' as a kWhole is simplified and rendered more convenient. In' other Words, I make the: entire drive,fin cluding the motor, in effect integral with the spider ring which supports' th'el distributor so that the drive' may be assembled in the shop, shipped integrally WithV such spider ring Without rem'ivingl any of .its parts, and during operati'on such drive is held-rigidly with all of its parts inproper relation to each other. In case of` dismantliirg the furnace top for replacement of' Without the interrelation of thel several parts being` in any Way disturbed.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, consists vof the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed outl in the claims, the annexed drawings and the following description setting forth in detail certain mechanism embodyingthe invention, such disclosed means constituting,however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings Fig". 1 is a side' elevation of a furnace stach equipped with my improved distributor drive; Fig. 2 is a plan vieiv of the same; Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof, as viei'ved from the' right in Figs. 1 and 2; and Figs". l1l and 5 are verticall sections taken on the planes indicated by the lines 1 4 and 55,Figs. 1 and 2.y y

- the drawings, only the' upper v'vall 1 of the cover or cap for Vthe lowermost of the tivo hopper's provided at the" top of the furnace stackisshovn, such Wally being in the form of av frusto'iconical cap suitably supported on the ripper end of the furnace shaft (not shovvn). Mounted in' turn on such cap 1 is a cylindrical shell 2 thatconstitutes the body of the second hopper or distributor. As previously indicated, such distributor re` q uires to bef rotatably supported; in fact it derives' its naine from this circumstance. l-isb'est shown in Figs. /1l and 5, the main `elenents of such rotatable mounting` are a base in the form of avspi'der ringcasti'ng 3 that i's suitably supported on vthe Hangedrneck et that surrinounts" cap 1; an annular ball race 5 that is' iin turn supported on the upper face of said spider ring casting', and' a complei 4mentary ball race 6 that is boltedV to a lateravlly projecting fiange on the distributor 2. The balls 8 interposed between the races :5 andI 6, it Will thus be seen, serve rotatably to support said distributor on the` upper end olf-capx 1. The lowerball race 5 is provided with downwardly opening apertures 9 at spaced intervals to permit the esca-pe ofdust or lil'e matter from' such race. y

The spider ring 3, it Will' be'n'oted, is formed; with a` Harige 1'0, the inner end of ivhicli is vbeveled inwardly and upwardly so .as to overlie a flange 11 of complementary form that projects outwardly from the body 2 of the distributor, only enough clearance being left between the two flanges to permit of the free rotation of the distributor while assuring an effective gas seal between the latter and the top of the cap 1.

The upper ball race 6 is formed about its entire circumference (see Figs. 1, 2 and 3) with gear teeth 15 that constitute thereof an annular rack and the drive mechanism of interest in the present connection co-operates with such rack to rotate the distributor 2 in desired manner. Such drive mechanism is wholly supported on a depending bracket 16 that is attached to the oppositely directed face of the spider ring casting at one point, or rat-her at several adjacent points, in its circumference. The bracket is of sufficient extent to accommodate an electric motor 17, and in alignment therewith, a worm gear drive 18, the inotoi spindle being connected with such drive through the medium of a flexible coupling 19. A vertical spindle 20, on which is mounted a worm gear 21, coinposes one member of such drive and lies in offset rela-tion to the common axis of the motor and of the worm 22 that constitutes the other member of the drive, said spindle being journaled in suitable bearings on said bracket at its lower end and at an intermediate point and being provided at its upper end with a spur pinion 23 that meshes with the teeth of the annular rack 15. Associated with the motor 17 is a suitable brake 25 and a limit switch 26, of standard design, whereby the motor may be caused to rotate the annular rack 15 and thus the distributor shell a predetermined amount and then stop.

From the foregoing description, the operation of my improved drive as a whole should be readily understood. The arrangement of the motor with its axis approximately tangential to the spider ring casting 10 and an nular ring 15 with the offsetting inwardly of the spindle 20, that carries the drive pin ion 23, makes for an exceedingly compact and at the same time eflicientmechanism. lVhile the ring affords an adequatesupport for bracket 16 and the mechanism thus carried thereby, it will be understood that the latter may be additionally or wholly supported with the parts in corresponding position on cap 1.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regai-ds the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention 1. In charging mechanism for blast furnaces, the combination of a rotary distributor; a base ring providing an annular support for the bearing for Said distributor; and driving means for said distributor carried wholly by said ring.

2. In charging mechanism for blast furnaces, the combination of a rotary distributor; a. base ring providing an annular support for the bearing for said distributor; and driving means for said distributor, said means including a worm and worm gear carried wholly by said ring.

3. In blast-furnace charging mechanism, the combination of a rotary distributor; a base ring providing an annular support for the bearing for said distributor; and a motor and driving gear connecting the same with said distributor, said motor and gear being carried by said ring, whereby said distributor and the driving mechanism therefor may be placed on and removed from the furnace top in assembled condition.

4. In blast-furnace charging mechanism, the combination of a rotary distributor; a base ring providing an annular support for the bearing for said distributor; a bracket depending from and whollv supported by said ri-nOf' and a motor and driving gear ID, l u n s connecting the same with said distributor, said motor and gear being carried by said bracket, whereby said distributor and the driving mechanism therefor may be placed on and removed from the furnace top in assembled condition.

In blast-furnace charging mechanism, the combination of a rotary distributor; a base ring providing an annular support for the bearing for said distributor; an annular gear attached to and extending circumferentially around said distributor; a bracket depending from and wholly supported by said ring; a vertical spindle mounted on said bracket and provided with a pinion in mesh with said gear; and a motor and reduction gearing connecting the same with said spindle, said motor and gearing being likewise carried by said bracket., whereby said distributor and the driving mechanism therefor may be placed `on and removed from the furnace top in assembled condition.

6. In blast-furnace charging mechanism, the combination of a rota-ry distributor; a base ring providing an annular support for the bearing for said distributor; an annular gear extending circumferentially around said distributor; a bracket depending from and wholly supported by said ring; a vertical spindle journaled in suitable bearings on said bracket at its lower end and at an interinediate point and provided at its upper end with a pinion in mesh with said annular gear; a worm gea-r xed on said spindle between its aforesaid bearings in said bracket; a worin meshing with said worm gear; and a motor coupled with said worm, said motor and worm likewise being car- Cil ried by said bracket, whereby said distributor and the driving mechanism therefor along with said ring may be placed on and removed from the furnace top in assembled condition.

7. In blast-furnace charging mechanism, the combination of a rotary distributor; a base ring providing an annular support for the bearing for said distributor; an annular gear extending circumferentially around said distributor; a bracket depending` from and wholly supported by said ring; a Vertical spindle journaled in suitable bearings on said bracket at its lower end and at an intermediate point and provided at its upper end with a pinion in mesh with said annular gear; a worm gear fixed on said spindle between its aforesaid bearings in said bracket; a worm meshing with said worm gear; and a motor coupled with said worm, said motor and worm likewise being carried by said bracket, whereby said distributor and the driving mechanism therefor along with said ring may be placed on and removed from the furnace top in assembled condition, the axis of said motor and of the worm coupled therewith being approximately tangential t0 said ring and said spindle being offset inwardly with respect thereto.

Signed by me this 4L day of October, 1924.

ARTHUR G. MGKEE. 

